THREE Indian sailors on a commercial vessel hit by the United States off the coast of Oman are dead, New Delhi’s shipping minister said on Thursday (11).
“It is deeply unfortunate to learn of the tragic incident aboard the Palau-flagged MT Settebello,” Sarbananda Sonowal said in a statement, referring to the strike on the vessel a day earlier.
“Sadly, three Indian seafarers initially reported missing are now confirmed dead after bodies have been located and identified”.
Twenty-one crew members were rescued.
India’s foreign ministry summoned a top US diplomat in New Delhi after the US attack on Wednesday (10) on MT Settebello to lodge “a strong protest”.
It was the second reported US attack on a merchant vessel with predominately Indian crew this week. On Monday (8), Omani authorities airlifted 24 Indian sailors off the MT Marivex after a US strike on the Palau-flagged tanker.
Images posted on social media by the Forward Seamen’s Union of India showed crew members being winched from the vessel by helicopter as thick black smoke billowed from its bridge and accommodation cabins.
Sonowal said the government stood “firmly with the bereaved during this difficult hour”.
“I have directed officials to ensure immediate repatriation of the rescued crew members and swift return of the mortal remains of the deceased for their final rites,” he added.
In a separate third incident on Thursday, crew members of a tanker carrying 20 Indians were evacuated after the vessel came under attack off Oman’s Shinas port, Indian officials said.
“Evacuation of crew from MT Jalveer to Shinas port is being coordinated with assistance from Royal Navy of Oman, and shall soon be completed,” the Indian Embassy in Muscat said in a post on X.
Earlier, the mission had said it was “closely monitoring” an incident involving a vessel off Shinas port and was coordinating with local authorities for details.
A US military image of the strike on the vessel off OmanUS Centcom
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) later confirmed the ship had come under attack.
“These attacks came from the US Navy that is stationed there,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a press briefing in New Delhi.
It was the first public acknowledgement of the US Navy targeting ships with Indian crew.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said MT Jalveer had 20 Indian seafarers on board, and all were reported to be safe.
The US Central Command said in a statement that it disabled the Guinea-Bissau-flagged MT Jalveer for allegedly violating its blockade against Iran by attempting to transport Iranian oil.
It said a US aircraft struck the vessel’s engine room after the crew “repeatedly failed to comply with directions from US forces”.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said two of the vessels involved in the incidents this week were operating under US sanctions, while one was in the non-compliant category.
India described the attacks on commercial vessels as “deeply worrisome” and has taken up the matter with the US.
The US military imposed a blockade on Iranian ports after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which around 20 per cent of global energy supplies are transported in normal times.
